Saturday, January 31, 2015

As you are reading this, I am currently cruising to the Bahamas with Royal Caribbean for fabulous getaway! After we got hit with all of the snow this week, I was so ready to pack up my sunglasses and bathing suits and get to warmer weather...thank heavens for vacation days!! Not to mention, it was pretty quick and easy to unpack from my Sonesta Hilton Head trip and then just repack for this trip!

Royal Caribbean invited a few blogger friends and I to come cruise with them to check out the newly renovated Freedom of the Seas. I haven't been on a cruise since I was much younger, so this will be a fun trip! I wasn't prepared clothing-wise, as all of my summer clothing is packed up, so I made do with what I had out of storage, but I've pulled some things on my wish list for my next warm weather getaway.

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Scroll through above to see some of my favorite picks. Are you headed to warmer temps any time soon? Be sure to follow along on Instagram to check out what I'm up to! Have a fabulous day!

Friday, January 30, 2015

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Is this bow belt not the cutest thing you've ever seen?! Preppy staples are hard to come by, so when I spotted this bow belt, I knew it needed to make it into my closet. Not to mention, it's a great price and comes in another colorway!

One of my favorite things to do is pair print with print-- especially gingham + repp stripes together. It's classic but with a fun twist. To tone it down, I added this simple but beautiful brown clutch. It's just large enough to hold all of my daily necessities and was good to grab as I was heading out the door. I wore this outfit to run errands on the weekend. Have a fabulous day!

I wore this outfit during the day on Saturday. It was the perfect temperature to ditch my jacket and throw on these awesome Lauren sandals and monogrammed tote kept the outfit still 'in season'/kept it from looking too summer-y.

I am obsessed with this ruffled collar tunic. It's a little dressy, but paired with dark wash skinnies (see past post here), I was able to give it a more laid back look. I think this would look fabulous also tucked into a high waisted a-line skirt for a more formal look. I wore this outfit when we went to Frosty Frogs in Hilton Head. It's a daiquiri bar that wasn't too far from the resort and it was so much fun and so delicious. We went there to hang out and to watch UK play South Carolina. I got the Hurricane flavored daiquiri and it was so delicious.

Needless to say, after 2 daiquiris, it only made sense to grab these palm leaves and parade around like a peacock, right? Right. Have a fabulous day!

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

So in love with this striped boyfriend shirt and just had to pop in to say it's on major sale! I can't wait to wear it with white denim come summertime!

I'd also like to note that one of my favorite tops is on sale, too. I wear this shirt all of the time. It goes well with work outfits, going out outfits and even some summertime outfits. I just ordered another one so I have a back up in case anything should ever happen to the one I already have!

I went skiing last weekend and it was so much fun! I hadn't had a chance to go because we haven't had much snow up until right now, so I was just itching to go! I made a super quick little video with some random iPhone clips my friend Dana and I took! Next time we go, I'll get some real action shots!

I mainly ski at Seven Springs when I do a quick day trip-- it's about an hour from Pittsburgh so it's a quick and easy drive. It's more of a 'hill' than a mountain. There are several black diamonds, but they're super quick runs, but it does the trick for me to get my skiing fix in when I can't get to places like Vermont or go out west!

This was my first run with my new Head Total Joy Skis and boots that Head sent to me. As soon as I took my first run, I was amazed at the difference from my old skis. First of all, they are so lightweight that carrying them was a breeze. So lightweight, in fact, that I was actually concerned about the carving ability. However, I was amazed by how incredibly smooth they glided down the mountain. Not to mention, I was able to effortlessly carve and gain speed without catching an edge.

Skiing is most definitely one of my passions. Throw me on any mountain for a day of skiing and I am a happy camper. I also feel like it really helps you to clear your head and become refreshed, too, not to mention, it's a killer workout. I also love the 'ski fashion' on the slopes. I'm very much a 'bright' skier so the mint jacket and bright orange pants that Head sent me were exactly something I would have chosen on my own. Usually, apres ski I opt for a cashmere cable knit, leggings and either L.L. Bean boots or my trusty and cozy Uggs (which I've had since 2006!) and sit by the fire to let my muscles rest... a glass of wine or cup of hot tea doesn't hurt, too!

And last but not least, the best boots I've ever worn. When I think of ski boots, the word 'comfortable' is never a word I would use. They're usually stiff and uncomfortable and my feet are oftentimes bruised by the end... not to mention freezing. Well, Head completely owns the boot game because these are COMFORTABLE. They literally feel like you slipped into a cozy cushion but still offer the support necessary to ski well. Not to mention the warmth-- incredible!! I didn't even have to put warmers in my boots and my feet were still warm. I don't think I'll ever have another pair of boots again... this is definitely something I wholeheartedly recommend to any skier-- especially those who have to take more breaks due to cold feet... these let me stay out way longer than usual! Needless to say, I'm totally impressed with their Joy line. I've always been a fan of the Head brand because of their quality, but these products are really top notch in my book. Have you tried out their Total Joy line? Have a fabulous day!

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

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Scroll through to see what I wore on the plane.

If you were following along on Instagram, then you know I was in Hilton Head for a few days through the weekend! I met up with some of my blogger girlfriends (Katie, Krista, Danielle, Sarah and Caitlin) and needless to say, it was an absolutely incredible weekend. I have to hand it to Krista and the Sonesta Resort at Hilton Head-- they planned such an epic weekend, it's going to be hard to ever top!

For Hilton Head being an island, it was still pretty easy to get to... I flew into Charlotte and then hopped on a tiny little plane that took about 45 minutes to land in HHI. It was really nice because Sarah and I ended up meeting in Charlotte and getting on the small plane together! It took me all of 5 seconds to love Hilton Head, considering I stepped off the plane and it was about 60 degrees and no need for a coat!

As soon as I got there, I checked in and caught up with the girls! We also checked out the wonderful gift bags.

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Scroll through to check out what all was included. It was like Christmas morning!

Then, the amazing crew at Sonesta delivered chocolate covered everything to our room... even chocolate covered bacon (omg so good) and some bubbly. It was the perfect time to catch up with the girls some more and plan out our night and talk about the festivities for the weekend, not to mention our beautiful rooms. The resort had just recently gone under major renovations so there was a great, fresh, boutique, luxury vibe to the resort.

Since it was the first night, we decided to keep things relaxed and opted for dinner at Heyward's. I not only had incredible salmon by Chef Nelly B, but also discovered a new favorite pinot noir, Meiomi, which was recommended by the staff and certainly a great recommendation. We also shared dessert. Something I loved about this group of girls is that they love eating and trying different foods as much as I do!

After our amazing meal, we headed back up to our room and had more girl time. We also enjoyed more wine thanks to Seven Daughters. Then we all hit our beds and passed out. The beds were beyond comfortable... beds at hotels are definitely a deal maker or breaker for me and these were dreamy.

The next morning, we woke up and all goofed around because we were so excited to see the sun from our balconies! The weather forecast had predicted rain, so the sun was very welcome! Stay tuned for day 2 recap! A big thanks to the Sonesta Resort for having all of us, I feel so thankful to have had such a fun weekend with such great girls! Have a fabulous day!

Friday, January 23, 2015

I'm all packed and took the day off from work to head to the Sonesta Resort on Hilton Head Island with some blogger girls. My friend Krista organized the trip for the girls to get away and I'm really excited. I've never been to Hilton Head before so I'm excited to explore and very excited for the warmer temperatures.

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It's looking like it'll be around 60 degrees... compared to the 10-20 degrees in Pittsburgh, this will feel like a tropical oasis! Check out what I've packed by scrolling above...I've packed my Jacks as wishful thinking!

Follow along on Instagram as I'm sure I will be posting a bunch! I'm so excited to see Katie, Danielle and Krista again because I haven't seen them since September, and I'm excited to meet Sarah! It should be a fun trip! Have a fabulous weekend!

Thursday, January 22, 2015

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I'm packing my bags and catching a flight this weekend to warmer temps-- then the following weekend, I'm off again on another warm weather adventure. This has had me browsing around for some fun things for warm weather and it has me SO ready for winter to be over. Bright colors, fun and flirty dresses, ohhhh how I miss this! Do you have any recent finds for spring that you are loving? Have a fabulous day!

Sometimes some of the best weekends are spent without any set plans, right? Last weekend, I purposefully didn't make too many plans because I knew I had big plans in the coming weeks, so I wanted to rest and get a lot done. However, sometimes, fun things just pop up! Friday night I hung out with a friend and watched Gone Girl. I hadn't read the book, but the movie was great. Super creepy and weird, but really good and well acted. I definitely recommend it.

Saturday was spent drinking lots of coffee-- we're storing the Nespresso pods in this pretty crystal pineapple... I thought it was a pretty creative use! I also did thrilling adult things like laundry, errands and blogging. Sometimes the best feeling is getting things done and having everything clean and put away.

During my errands, I stopped at Fresh Market. It's my favorite grocery store-- I like it even better than Whole Foods. Just walking into the place, I instantly feel calm and at ease. I love Trader Joe's, but every time I go there, it's insanity. I go into Fresh Market and almost feel like I'm at a spa with the soothing music and gorgeous displays. Not to mention their dried okra is the best thing ever and their bakery has the most delicious treats.

I picked up gorgeous white roses just for fun. I love love love white roses-- not only were they a steal at around $10 for a dozen, but they're still gorgeous on my nightstand! I also grabbed spinach, sweet potato, quinoa and salmon to make dinner with my bff Dana. We wanted to make something healthy and delicious and this definitely fit the bill. It was fun catching up with her (counting down the days to her wedding!!!!!), cooking and drinking wine.. we also made plans to ski!

Sunday I slept in (sooooo wonderful), got some more work done and went on some more errands. So much for trying to eat healthy because Sunday night, we ordered a ton of Chinese take out and watched Castaway (it's on Netflix..I forgot how stressful that movie is!). Does anyone else eat their takeout on their china? I know it's a fun Kate Spade-ism, but I always feel so much more civilized when I eat it off of the china! Then I called it an early night, since I was up at the crack of dawn to hit the slopes.

I went up to Seven Springs with Dana and her dad. Seven Spring is about an hour away from Pittsburgh. It's nothing crazy, but it's fun for the day... I've been going there since I was born, my family used to have a house up there so this is where I learned to ski. The conditions were surprisingly amazing and it wasn't too cold-- my feet never got cold and at one point, I was actually hot! I have a fun little video recap coming up about this, so stay tuned!

By the time I got home I was exhausted and my whole body was ready to just veg by the fire with hot tea and go to bed super early. I actually didn't know that I got the day off until the last second, so it was an awesome and unexpected long weekend. What did you do last weekend? Have a fabulous day!